Unemployment falls to 3.26pct nationwide in Romania in September

Unemployment in Romania was standing at 3.26% in September 2020 nationwide, down 0.26 percentage points from the same month in 2019, according to data with the National Employment Agency (ANOFM) published on Friday.

On a monthly basis, it was down 0.02 percentage points.

According to ANOFM records, the total number of unemployed registered at the end of September 2020 was 285,294, down 1,368 from August.

Out of the total number of the unemployed reported at the end of September, 93,965 were drawing unemployment benefits and 191,329 were not.

Compared with the previous month, the number of the unemployed drawing unemployment benefits decreased by 595, while the number of unpaid unemployed was 409 lower.

By areas of residence, 100,829 unemployed were in urban areas, and 184,465 unemployed in the countryside.

Most unemployed people - 75,479 - were 40 to 49 years old, followed by those in the age class 50 - 55 years old (53,981 people), while at the opposite end - people between 25 and 29 years old - there were 14,645 unemployed.

By age brackets, 41,825 unemployed were under the age of 25, 14,645 unemployed were in the 25-29 bracket, and 48,515 unemployed people were aged between 30 and 39 years old.

Another 75,479 unemployed people were between 40 and 49 years old, 53,981 people were between 50 and 55 years old, and 50,849 unemployed people were over 55 years old.

By educational attainment, the unemployed without formal education and those with a primary formal education made up a significant share in the total number of the unemployed in the ANOFM records (24.67%). Unemployed people with a secondary education attainment made up 25.26% of the total registered unemployed, while university graduates were 6.50% of the total.

Romania's September 2020 unemployment rate was calculated using the economically active civilian population as of January 1, 2020, as released by the National Institute of Statistics every year usually after September.

On the other hand, the economically active civilian population increased on January 1, 2020 nationwide by 54,100 from January 1, 2019, from 8,696,400 people on January 1, 2019 to 8,750,500 people. Therefore, the unemployment rate was recalculated to account for the latest figures regarding the economically active civilian population, according to ANOFM.